Very productive day.. worked at home again in the tower. I find I get so much more done when I work up there. It’s quiet and there are no distractions. I was so busy that not much else happened that was worth recording here.. Tonight we had a nice break .. we walked over to Dawn and Jim’s for dinner. It was great hanging out with them. We ended the night with stupid yoga tricks.

The twelve scouts sent by Moses to observe the land of Canaan returned from their mission. Two of the scouts, Joshua and Caleb, brought a positive report, but the others spoke disparagingly about the land which caused the Children of Israel to cry, panic and despair of ever entering the “Promised Land“.

For this, they were punished by God that their generation would not

enter the land. Because of the Israelites’ lack of faith, God decreed

that for all generations this date would become one of crying and

misfortune for their descendants, the
Jewish people. (See Numbers Ch. 13–14)

The First Temple built by King Solomon and the Kingdom of Judah was destroyed by the Babylonians led by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BCE and the Judeans were sent into the Babylonian exile.
The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE, scattering the people of Judea and commencing the Jewish exile from the Holy Land.
Bar Kokhba’s revolt against Rome failed in 135 CE. Simon bar Kokhba was killed, and the city of Betar was destroyed.
Following the Roman siege of Jerusalem, the razing of Jerusalem occurred the next year. A Temple was built in its stead to an idol.

I’d never heard about Tish B’av before yesterday. It’s strange to learn something new about your own culture at age 50..

I hope it was a thoguhtful day for everyone..

It was for me..   OK.. All for now.. Nite folks,
 Nite Sam

-me